Morning Self-Study

"So heavy."

Sirius ultimately put on the custom workout clothes made just for him.

He had to admit that a year of wolfing down food on the Desert Island had made his physique far surpass that of an ordinary six-year-old. Even carrying fifty kilograms only felt somewhat heavy.

It was still far from being enough to overwhelm him.

That made sense. With a physique that let him casually jump several meters, fifty kilograms was completely within his limits.

But if he had to run five laps around Onigashima on top of that, things would be very different.

Someone could really die from this.

Maria and Jack both looked at Sirius with sympathy.

However, there was also someone who was completely unfazed.

"Uncle King! I want clothes like Sirius's too!" Yamato shouted.

"I can give you mine!" Sirius hurriedly said.

"Quit talking nonsense, kid!"

King shot Sirius a glare, then looked at Yamato. "If you want some, go find Queen yourself. Now, everyone has five laps around Onigashima. Full speed ahead."

"Okay!"

Yamato answered loudly, then dashed off in a flash. "Sirius, hurry up!"

Jack and Black Maria hurried after her. Black Maria even turned back and gave Sirius a smile. "Do your best, Sirius."

He could only grit his teeth and do it, right?

Sirius glanced at King, who stood nearby watching him like a tiger eyeing its prey.

If he delayed any longer, Wind Blades would be whipping his ass.

Sirius finally moved his feet and sprinted forward.

The moment he started running, he realized that running with weights was an entirely different experience from before. Every swing of his arms and every step consumed far more stamina.

That was not even the main issue. The key was that his center of gravity had completely changed, making it difficult to adjust his running rhythm. That was what drained the most energy.

"This really isn't a joke!"

Sirius gritted his teeth and ran forward with all his strength.

Of course, he could only run forward. King was flying in the sky behind him, and the moment he slowed even slightly, a Wind Blade would come dropping from above as a warning.

Last time, Sirius had only started feeling tired after finishing one lap, and he had not completely run out of strength until after three laps.

But this time came much faster. Before he had even finished most of the first lap, Sirius was already gasping for breath, his steps becoming unsteady as bead-sized drops of sweat rolled down his forehead.

Every arm swing and every step seemed to require all his strength. His muscles wailed, his lungs roared, and his mind was completely blank.

He was too tired—far too tired.

Later, he no longer even understood what exhaustion was. He only felt numb.

"Will Sirius be okay?"

Black Maria, running ahead, looked back worriedly. Sirius was already swaying and stumbling all over the place.

"He'll be fine! He's Sirius!"

Yamato, who was running at the very front, did not even turn her head as she shouted.

Jack wanted to say something too, but he did not get the chance. A Wind Blade dropped from the sky.

"What are you babbling about? If you have the strength to talk, use it to speed up!"

The three of them sped up and ran forward again.

Sirius truly could not accelerate any further. Just before he finished the first lap, his vision went black, and he collapsed face-first onto the ground.

This was no longer something willpower could control. His stamina had reached its limit.

"Sirius?"

Black Maria and Jack noticed Sirius fall, and both nervously tried to turn back.

"Keep running!"

But King suddenly dropped from the sky. He turned and coldly glared at the two of them, forcibly stopping them from going back.

Then King lowered his head to look at Sirius lying on the ground, pulled a box from behind his back, and tossed it in front of him.

Sirius's nose twitched.

It smelled so good.

"You have ten seconds," King said.

He did not need ten seconds at all. Sirius's head transformed into a wolf's head, his jaws opened wide, and he swallowed the box in front of him, which was half the size of his body, in a single bite.

Gulp.

Without even chewing, Sirius swallowed it all.

One second, the food went down his stomach. The next, Sirius opened his eyes again.

He had revived!

"If you've recovered, get up!"

King's voice was calm. "Continue."

Sirius could only scramble back to his feet.

Then he heard King say, "Don't worry, kid. There's plenty of food."

Are you a devil?

Sirius could not help looking at King.

"What are you standing around for? I never said you could stop! Keep going!" King growled.

Sirius hurriedly started running again.

The three ahead also noticed Sirius getting back on his feet. Black Maria said happily, "What an amazing ability! Sirius recovered again!"

"That's why Brother King gives Sirius special treatment!" Jack was also delighted. "His ability lets him undergo extremely high-intensity training!"

"I told you Sirius would be fine!" Yamato laughed loudly, then started accelerating.

Black Maria and Jack accelerated as well.

Sirius really wanted to curse.

They were speeding up again?

With King watching from behind, Sirius could only speed up with them.

Because he was running faster, he became exhausted faster this time as well. Before he reached the end of the second lap, he ran out of strength again.

But King thoughtfully delivered more food right away, allowing Sirius to revive once more.

This time, Sirius finally found some rhythm. He ran more than one full lap, and after finishing the third lap, he even ran another half lap before collapsing.

Then came his third revival.

"Hahaha! Are you done already, Jack? Maria!"

Sirius laughed as he ran past Jack and Maria, who had always been ahead of him.

By the fifth lap, those two were nearly out of strength as well.

"Th-this is practically cheating—" Maria panted, already unable to catch up.

But Jack had much better stamina. He gritted his teeth and accelerated, chasing after Sirius.

However, Sirius only got cocky at the start of the fifth lap.

By the second half, his stamina began running out again. Jack nearly overtook him, and even though Sirius gave it everything he had, he could only maintain a tie.

At last, the five laps were over, and Sirius collapsed again.

"Finally, I can eat breakfast."

Sirius panted. At last, he could rest.

The morning training before breakfast had already left him exhausted three times. Including this time, it was the fourth. This really was no life for a human.

He might be able to recover, but that exhaustion before he passed out was downright murderous!

"Eat breakfast?"

At that moment, King descended from the sky and tossed a box before Sirius. His voice was calm. "Haven't you been eating the whole time?"

"..."

Sirius suddenly looked up.

"What are you standing around for, kid?"

King said, "Morning training is indeed over, but your personal morning self-study is only just beginning."

Fuck you!

Sirius really wanted to blast King in the face with fire.

"Sirius—"

Yamato looked at Sirius in surprise.

Sirius turned to look at her, giving her an encouraging look.

That's right, Yamato, hurry up and scold him for me! It's breakfast time for adorable children!

Then a brilliant smile appeared on Yamato's face. "Uncle King is so good to you! This way, Sirius can grow stronger quickly!"

She rubbed her little belly. "I want to join too, but I'm so hungry now."

"Anyway," she said, giving Sirius a thumbs-up, "do your best, Sirius!"

Jack also gave Sirius a thumbs-up. "Do your best, Sirius. Don't let Brother King and Boss Kaido's expectations down! You're going to become the Third Calamity!"

You two!

Sirius's eyelids twitched.

"I'm so hungry. Let's go eat."

Yamato said as she rubbed her stomach.

"Yeah, yeah!"

Jack and Black Maria agreed, and the three of them went off to eat together.

Before leaving, Yamato and Jack each turned back and cheered Sirius on once more.

Only Black Maria gave Sirius a look that said she could not help him.

"Kid, how long are you going to slack off? Continue!" King's voice was cold.

Sirius's heart was cold too.

He had finally learned what King had meant when he said he would make the most of Sirius's ability.

But all he could do now was charge straight ahead!

After all, although it was tiring, it was not a bad thing overall.

Sirius opened his huge mouth and swallowed the food in front of him, box and all.

Once his stamina recovered, he leaped to his feet and began running again beneath the rising sun.

Running beneath the rising sun was Sirius's youthful ignorance.